Top 10 Largest States In Nigeria 2023
We all know Nigeria as an independent federation is a large nation with various ethnic groups.
But of all the states in it, there should be some that are especially known for their largeness.
If you have been thinking of this, and as a result had stumbled on the internet just to find yourself on this page, I must let you know you have done well for yourself.
Nigeria is a large country with 36 officially recognized states. The country due to its largeness also has over 700 local government areas.
Without further considerations, we shall now look into the top 10 largest states in Nigeria.
Largest States In Nigeria 2023
1. Niger State
It is generally believed in Nigeria that there are more lands in the Northern part of the country. Therefore this should not surprise any Nigerian.
Niger state is the first in rank of all the country’s 36 States when it comes to land largeness. The state is 76,363km² large. Minna is the capital of Niger.
This is one of the highly recognized states in the country because several tribes have originated from it since its discovery on February 3, 1976.
Former Nigerian Military heads, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Abubakar Abdulsalam are reportedly indigenes of Niger State.
In the Nigerian 2006 census, Niger state’s population was ranked 18th of the 36 States.
2. Borno State
On the list of the largest states in Nigeria, Borno State is the second in the country. The state is just behind Niger, with about 70,898km² size. Despite the size of the State, it is said to be the eleventh most populous area of the country in 2016.
This area also falls in the Northern part of the country.
The area which was formed in the same with Niger, in 1976, originally consist of a geographic entity now known as Yobe State. Yobe became distinct from Borno in 1991.
3. Taraba State
Taraba is another large state in the Northern region of the country. The state was named after a well-known river in the area, the Taraba River.
The state whose capital is Jalingo was established on August 27, 1991.
Considering the 2006 Nigerian census, the state is the 30th most populous in the country, leaving behind just six others.
Taraba has over 40 different indigenous tribes in it.
The State’s size is around 54,473 km².
4. Kaduna State
Although the fourth largest area in the country, Kaduna is known for its incredible population, being the third most populous State.
Kaduna is a state many refer to as the “Lagos of North.” This is to say that the same way Lagos is being viewed by other Southwestern residents is the way Northerners view Kaduna.
The state is blessed with a lot of companies and military organizations.
One of the establishments that made Kaduna the greatest in the North is that it is the only state in the country with the Nigerian Defence Academy. If you intend to further your education as military personnel after graduating from the Nigerian Military School, Zaria (which is also in the state), you have to go to NDA in Kaduna.
Kaduna also has one of the most prominent Barracks in the country, located at Jaji.
Kaduna which is about 46,053km² large, was founded in 1967 as a North-Central State. The state has about 27 Local Government Areas.
5. Bauchi State
This is one of the largest states in Nigeria. To the North, Bauchi is bordered by Jigawa and Kano states.
Bauchi was founded in 1976.
History has it said that the state originally included a region now known as Gombo State. Gombe gained distinction from Bauchi in 1996, twenty years after the creation of Bauchi.
Following a survey from geographers, the state has an area of about 45,837km².
6. Yobe State
The sixth-largest Nigerian state, Yobe was formed from the second-largest state, Borno in 1991. The capital of Yobe is Damaturu.
Of all Nigerian states, Yobe is especially prominent for Agriculture. The state is about 45,502 km² large.
7. Zamfara State
Zamfara was originally part of Sokoto, becoming one of the parts that were brought of Sokoto in 1996.
The seventh-largest state in the country has its capital to be Gusau.
In 2021, following the 2011 population estimation, the state was said to be the eleventh most populous in the country.
It is known for its largeness with an area of about 39,762km².
8. Adamawa State
Yola is the capital of Adamawa. On our list, Adamawa, a state in the North-East geopolitical region of the country, is the 8th largest area.
Being one of the largest states in the country is not enough to describe Adamawa, it also has a large number of about 100 indigenous ethnic groups.
Like a few other states in the country, Adamawa was formed on August 27, 1991. The area is about 36,917km² large.
9. Kwara State
Created in 1976 is the Western Nigerian largest state.
In the list of the top 10 largest states in Nigeria, Kwara is the 9th, but also the first when it comes to the Western part of the country.
The capital of Kwara is Ilorin. Geographers estimated the state to be an area of about 36,825km².
Kwara contributed 16 Local Government Areas to the LGA of the country.
As of 2006, Kwara was said to be the sixth least populous state in the country.
10. Kebbi State
Of the 36 States in Nigeria, Kebbi is the 10th largest. The state was formed from part of Sokoto State and has its Capital to be Birnin Kebbi, on August 27, 1991.
Even with its capacity, Kebbi was pronounced the 22nd most populous state in the country, in 2016.
The Northern state is regarded as the 10th largest with an area of about 36,800km².
In conclusion, you should have noticed that only one of the states above is not in the Northern part of the country. This is to say that as a whole, the Northern part of the country is larger than other zones.
Our list of the top 10 largest states in Nigeria is valid.
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